TV & Radio Wednesday November 16

It's the minor parties' turn to debate, and the French are coming! The French are coming! on The Borgias.

TV

The Borgias

Election 2011 – Multi Party Debate (TV1, 7.00pm). You never know – after the hoopla of the past few days over the #teapottapes, this could get raucous. The leaders of the minor parties go at it, that’s if Guyon Espiner lets them finish a sentence.

The Borgias (TV3, 9.30pm). Della Rovere’s plan is coming to fruition, mwah-ha-ha, as the French army starts marching into Italy, although seeing the destruction, he begins to think he might not have thought this through.

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Parenthood (Four, 9.30pm). The one show on TV that is consistently pretty good at depicting Asperger’s Syndrome; let’s hope they don’t blow it with “Amazing Andy”, the bug expert whom Kristina and Adam hire for their Aspie son Max’s birthday party. Max is obsessed with bugs, and so is fellow Aspie Andy, who is played by Michael Emerson, whom you may know as Ben from Lost.

Entourage (TV2, 11.40pm). The penultimate episode of the final season, and they’re blatantly going for the heart strings. It’s all about the relationships – Vince is still trying to get Vanity Fair journalist Sophia to go out with him; E is still in love with Sloane; Ari wants his wife back; the boys still love each other.

FILM

And Soon the Darkness (Sky Movies, Sky 020, 8.30pm). A remake of a British cult thriller that loses much of the original’s alienation and discomfort in favour of cheap torture scenes. Two young women on holiday in Argentina become separated after an argument and one disappears. In a desperate search for her friend, the remaining woman enlists the help of an apparently friendly fellow American (Karl Urban). Slant’s reviewer does say that the “Argentina looks gorgeous”. (2010)

Dude, Where’s My Car? (Movies Greats, Sky 022, 8.30pm). A Bill and Ted for the stoner demographic. Like an adolescent boy, Dude giggles its way through a series of preposterous escapades and innuendo-laden scenarios. Also, the best use of Ashton Kutcher ever: he and Seann William Scott are dudes who wake up after some heavy partying and find themselves devoid of vehicular transport. Thereafter, the gags come so fast you won’t have time to groan at the worst of them. (2000) 6

Village of the Damned (MGM, Sky 023, 10.25pm). John Carpenter’s schlocky horror remake of the original British creepfest stars Christopher Reeve in his last role before the accident that left him paralysed. Also in the cast: Kirstie Alley, Linda Kozlowski (post Crocodile Dundee) and Mark Hamill. The movie was conspicuous for its graphic violence, and also the glowing eyes of the evil children. Only 30% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, however. (1995)